Henry peatt



UNITEDV STATES reilen.

PATENT HENRY PRATT, OF`GREAT BRITAIN.

A IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANNER OF CONSTRUCTING A` ROTARY MACHINE OR ENGINE T0 BE DRIV'EN BY THE POWER 0F STEAM, WATER, dic., AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF A CONDENSER T0 BE EMPILOYED WITH THE SAME WHEN OPERATED BY STEAM.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 2,517, dated March 2B, 184'?.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY PRATT, ot' the Kingdom of Great Britain, but at present residing in the United States of North America,

have invented a new and usefnl'machine for combining therewith, when steam is used, aA 'new and improved condenser, which is to operate, by the agency of a current of cold air, in effecting the condensation of the steam; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof.

In the accompanying drawings,Figures 1,2,

3, and 4 are four different views of my power'-` machine, in describing which I shall suppose it to be actuated by high steam, its construction being the same, whether steam, gases, or water is used, excepting that in the former case the condenser may be added thereto.

Fig. lis a vertical section through the middle of the machine, excepting atthe part a', which shows a portieri of the exterior of the revolving` body of the machine. Fig. 2 is a transverse elevation ot' it Fig. 3, a horizontal section thereof through the line a b of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 a horizontal section through the line c d of the same figure;

In Fig. 1,91 not is a circular revolving` body, which is best iliade cylindrical, into which steam may be admitted at its lower part, and after passing through channels of a peculiar form within its periphery escapes through openings on its upper side. The part n of this revolving body forms a cylindrical or sligh tly-tapered hollow shaft, which ts closely which are to afford it a free passage. The openings o o are surrounded by au annular steam-space, a' a', in the block m, insuring a free passage to the openings 0 o.

The steam passes through a a into what I denominate the feed-chamber b b, and thence into o ne, two, or more helical passages, which, commencing at. the feed-chamber b b, make several convolutions within the periphery of the revolving body n n', ascending gradually from the bottom to the top thereof. One of these entrances is shown at c, leading` into the passage d cl, and there is a similar entrance into the passage c e, and so of any number of passages. In Fig. 4 these passages are shown at d d c c in horizontal section. The upper or the lower side of each of these lpassages is formed into steps or offsets lin the manner shown at r s r s, Fig. 1. The intention ofthe formation of these oisets is that the steam or other fluid passing through these helical pas sages shall be subjected to a greatly-increased friction against the respective portions s s throughout its whole course, and shall, in consequence of such friction, carry the revolving body n a with great force in the direction of the arrows. The respective helices are, as above stated, continued around the revolving body until they arrive at its upper end, where the steam is to be discharged from them; but before it arrives at the point of discharge the direction of the channel or channels is reversed, 'so as to cause the discharge to take place in such reversed direction. This is represented by the dotted lines and the arrows at f in Fig. 2.

\'Vhen it is desired to form the machine in such a manner as that its motion may be reversed Iconstruct a second series ot' convolutedchannels within those above described as being directly within the periphery of the revolving body. This second series have helices running in a direction the reverse of those tirst named. The induction part of the instrument must then be so arranged as to admit the steam to a feedchamber connected with the interior convolutions, and to cut it oii from the exterior. As devices of this kind are well known and may be differently modified, every competent engineer will, without special instruction, be able to eii'ect this in his own way.

I inclose the whole apparatus within a box of the body A A.

- or case, k la', into which the steam escapes,

filling the space 7c 7c and keeping the machine at a temperature which prevents the condensasteam; but this opening may be made in any part ofthe ease k 7c' which may be preferred.

lFrom this the steam may be conducted to my improved cold-air condenser, to be now described.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of my condenser, which maybe made of thin sheet-iron, or of other metal. A A is its exterior or outside case,'which may be cylindrical. Into the lower partof this the steam is to be admitted through an opening, B. Within the'lower part of the case A', I place a vessel, a c', into the body C of which the' opening B leads. The lower lpart of this vessel may be concave, and is i' to form a receptacle for the water produced by the condensation of the steam. This water is to be allowed to discharge through a tube, a2, bent at its extremity c3, so as to keep the water at a given height in the vessel c' al.

This vessel is. not to be vin contact with the vcase A', there being an annular space between them for the ascent of Aatmospheric air. The

v sides of' the vessel a a are conical, inclining.

inward at the upper edge. Upon this rests a second conical :t'rustum of sheet metal, b b', which is open at both ends, and has a tiange turned outward at top, by which to sustain it,

and another turned inward at its lower edge.

Upon thisflange rests another conical frustum, c. c', but smaller than b', and inclined in a reversed direction. Upon this another is placed in all respects similar to b', excepting-in size, and on this another similar to c. furnished with a bottom, rests upon the last of the seriesof conical rims, of which there may be any desired number. The air which is to pass up on the outsides of these conical frustums l obstruct in its ascent by means of the descending rims d d', attached to the interior To increase the extent of the surfaces of the respective conical frustums I cover them on their exteriors with wiregauze, which, by increasing the points of contact, causes the air toact upon them much more efficiently. The descending rims d d may in like manner be covered with wiregauze, as may also the part A A of the external case.

In using this condenser the cooling influence of atmospheric air is the only agent in effecting the condensation, and this is admit- A vessel, c',

its temperature elevated, may be conducted into any apartment which it may be desired to heat, and, being charged with a considerable portion of watery vapor, will be entirely free from that dryness which is the most common objection to heated air when used for that purpose.

Having thus fully described the nature of the apparatus used by me for applying the elastic power of steam or of gases, or of the pressure of 4a column of water, to the propellingof machinery, and having likewise setforth the mannerin which I construct my condenser when steam is employed, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The forming of one, two, or more helical passages within the periphery of a cylindrical revolving body, which'passages are to ascend gradually from the lowerto the upper part of said body, and said passages having one .off their sides formed into steps or oftsets, 'in the manner set forth, for the producing of a powerful friction and resist-ance to the passage ot' a fluid through them, in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

2. The reversing of the direction of these channels just before the uid escapes therefrom, as shown atf in the accompanying drawings.

3. The within-described manner of constructing and arranging the respective parts of my cold-aircondenser, said condenser consistin gof a series ofconical frustums ofsheet metal placed within a'vertical metallic case, said conical frustums being formed and operating in the manner set forth, and being combined with the vertical case, and withthe lower vessel, substantially in the manner described.

4. The coating or covering of' the exterior of the several conical frustums and other parts, as described, for the purpose of increasing the surface upon-which the air may operate..

I have spoken of the revolving body in my power-machine as placed vertically; but it may be placed horizontally; or the operating-duid may descend instead ot' ascending through the convoluted channels, and other variations may be made in matters of detail. I do not therefore intend to limit myself to the precise form and arrangement herein given, but to vary f these as I may think proper, while the principle of action and the effects produced remain substantially the same.

HENRY PRATT.

Witnesses:

. Taos. P. JoNEs,

ALEXANDER CoNNEsoN. 

